Tag Archives: Stan Mikita

We’re less than a month away from the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, so let’s take a gander at how things should shape up for the Central Division.

The Tampa Bay Lightning clinched the first postseason berth this season, Quinn Hughes signed his entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks, Shane Wright was granted exceptional status and the DTFR Duo presented the first few individual season awards.

Jake DeBrusk had the defacto game-winning goal in the Boston Bruins, 6-3, victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night at TD Garden as David Krejci added a pair of goals and Danton Heinen notched three points in the win.

It was a rematch from January 1st’s 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Notre Dame Stadium, in which Boston defeated Chicago, 4-2.

Brad Marchand (1-3–4 totals) became the first Bruins player to record four or more points in a regular season game against the Blackhawks since Jason Allison did so on Nov. 2, 2000 (2-2–4 totals).

Tuukka Rask (18-8-4 record, 2.38 goals against average, .920 save percentage in 31 games played) made 23 saves on 26 shots against for an .885 SV% in the win for Boston, while Collin Delia (6-3-3, 3.23 GAA, .920 SV% in 31 GP) stopped 31 out of 37 shots faced (.838 SV%) in the loss for Chicago.

Boston improves to 32-17-8 (72 points) and stayed put in 3rd place in the Atlantic Division, while the Blackhawks fell to 23-25-9 (55 points) and remain 7th (last) in the Central Division.

The Bruins also improved to 5-0-1 in the month of February while snapping Chicago’s seven-game winning streak.

Bruce Cassidy earned his 100th career victory behind the bench for Boston in the win.

He is the second-fastest B’s coach to reach the milestone, having done so in 166 games (Tom Johnson holds the franchise record for fastest to 100 wins in 138 games coached). Cassidy is 100-44-21 in his tenure with the Bruins since becoming the head coach on Feb. 7, 2017.

Adding to the impressive feat, Cassidy was originally drafted by the Blackhawks 18th overall in the 1983 NHL Draft.

David Pastrnak sustained a left thumb injury on Sunday night after attending a sponsorship dinner with several teammates. He underwent surgery and will be out at least two weeks.

As a result of Pastrnak’s injury, Krejci is the only player for Boston to suit up in every game this season.

Everything else was left the same, while Steven Kampfer (healthy scratch, AHL conditioning loan), Matt Grzelcyk (lower body) and Pastrnak (left thumb) were out of the lineup on Tuesday.

Alex DeBrincat (29) kicked things off with a floater from about the face-off circle in the attacking zone that Rask inadvertently redirected off his blocker and into the net behind him, giving Chicago the first lead of the night, 1-0.

Dominik Kahun (17) and Dylan Strome (23) recorded the assists on DeBrincat’s goal at 4:22 of the first period. With the goal, DeBrincat established a new career-high in goals and is on a nine-game point streak.

After Patrick Kane pushed Marchand into Delia, Marchand was assessed a two-minute minor penalty for goaltender interference at 7:12 of the opening period.

Zdeno Chara followed that up with a subtle roughing infraction against Kane at 8:23.

The Blackhawks had 49 seconds of a 5-on-3 power play opportunity, but could not convert on either skater advantage.

Midway through the first period, Brent Seabrook tripped up Chris Wagner at 13:43 and the Bruins went on the power play for the first time of the night.

A little over a minute into the ensuing power play, Krejci (13) unloaded a one-timer on a cross-ice pass from Patrice Bergeron past Delia to tie the game, 1-1, at 14:47.

Bergeron (32) and DeBrusk (6) tallied the assists on Krejci’s power play goal.

Just 49 seconds later, the Bruins were in command of their first lead of the night as Heinen (9) put home the rebound as the puck bounced off of Marchand on a pass from Bergeron to make it, 2-1, Boston at 15:36.

Marchand (45) and Chara (5) were credited with the primary and secondary assists, respectively.

Late in the first period, Marchand again got his name on the scoresheet as he one-timed his 22nd goal of the season past the Blackhawks goaltender.

Heinen (9) and Bergeron (33) notched the assists on the goal at 18:59 of the first period and the Bruins led, 3-1.

After one period, Boston led, 3-1, on the scoreboard and, 14-7, in shots on goal. The B’s also held the advantage in blocked shots (5-4), takeaways (5-2) and hits (7-6), while Chicago led in giveaways (7-3) and face-off win percentage (54-46).

The Blackhawks went 0/2 on the power play, while the Bruins were 1/1 entering the first intermission.

Erik Gustafsson tripped Krejci at 11:49 of the second period as both teams settled into a cool rhythm whereby the Bruins largely dominated possession and shots on goal, but neither team could muster one into the twine until late in the middle frame.

Connor Murphy cross-checked Heinen at 15:42 and Jonathan Toews high-sticked Bruins defender, Torey Krug, at 16:02, but Boston could not convert any of their three power play opportunities in the second period.

Shortly after Chicago killed Toews’ minor penalty, the B’s caught the Blackhawks in the vulnerable minute after a skater advantage with DeBrusk (15) tipping in a slap pass from Krejci at 18:06 of the middle frame to make it, 4-1, Boston.

Krejci (32) and Marchand (46) had the assists on DeBrusk’s first goal in 13 games.

Not to be outdone, Duncan Keith (3) unloaded a blast from the point in the final minute of the second period to make it a two-goal game.

Murphy (6) and Kahun (18) had the assists on Keith’s goal at 19:37 and the Bruins went into the second intermission leading the Blackhawks, 4-2.

After 40 minutes of play, Boston led in shots on goal, 28-13, including a, 14-6, advantage in the second period alone.

Chicago held the advantage in blocked shots (9-8) and giveaways (16-8) through two periods, while the B’s led in takeaways (9-6), hits (19-13) and face-off win% (60-40).

The Blackhawks were still 0/2 on the power play, while the Bruins were 1/4 on the skater advantage entering the third period.

Sean Kuraly got things going in the third period with a hooking penalty at 1:16 of the final frame of regulation, but the Blackhawks didn’t convert on their last power play chance of the night.

A couple minutes later, after Noel Acciari delivered a clean hit on Kane, John Hayden found Acciari and dropped the gloves. Despite the two exchanging fisticuffs, the scrap was only so brief and thus, only worthy of matching roughing minor penalties at 3:53 of the third period.

During the ensuing 4-on-4 action, Gustafsson (12) waltzed through the slot and sniped a wrist shot past Rask’s blocker side to make it a one-goal game.

Keith (21) and Kane (49) had the assists on Gustafsson’s goal as the Blackhawks trailed the Bruins, 4-3, at 4:48 of the third period.

With his assist on the goal, Kane matched the longest assist streak in Blackhawks franchise history, which was set by the late Stan Mikita from Nov. 26th to Dec. 25, 1967 (14 games played in that duration).

Strome slashed Kevan Miller at 5:42 and the Bruins went on the power play for the fifth time Tuesday night.

Late in the ensuing skater advantage, Cehlarik (4) received a pass from Heinen and fired a one-timer into a mostly empty net as Delia was caught behind the play.

Boston led, 5-3, thanks to Cehlarik’s goal at 7:18 of the third period. Heinen (10) and Krug (35) had the assists on the power play goal.

Finally, late in the third period, Krejci (14) notched his second goal of the game at 15:42, with Marchand (47) and DeBrusk (7) picking up the tab on the assists.

The Bruins led, 6-3, and by the time the final horn signaled the end of the game, they had secured the win in their third straight home game.

Boston finished the night leading in shots on goal, 37-26, despite being outshot, 13-9, in the third period alone. The B’s also led in his (26-18) and face-off win% (56-44), while Chicago finished the game ahead in blocked shots (12-11) and giveaways (22-10).

The B’s went 2/5 on the power play Tuesday night and the Blackhawks went 0/3.

Nick, Cap’n and Pete announce their top-10 right wingers of their lifetimes while Connor mails it in and Nick reads his list (somebody has to do work around here). Keeping with tradition, all of Thursday’s big news was announced during or shortly after recording.

I continue to explore an important element of the game and what retired numbers around the league may look like in the future. While there’s only a finite set of numbers to utilize on the back of a jersey, many teams choose to retire (or honor) some numbers based on extraordinary circumstances, dedication to the organization, or legendary status.

Many thoughts went through my head in each and every consideration. Feel free to agree or disagree- I want to know what you, the fans, consider worthy when evaluating a player, their career, and whether or not their number should be retired by a franchise. I am interested in seeing what you have to say, assuming you are actually a fan of the team and/or player that you argue for or against. Drop us a line in the comments or tweet to @DtFrozenRiver using #DTFRNumbersGame.

For each team, I thought of former and current players that should have their numbers retired now or once they hang up the skates.

Three Stanley Cup championships in his first six years as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks should pretty much guarantee his number will be retired after his career is over.

Jonathan Toews will see his number retired by the Blackhawks, much like his idols, Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic, have had their numbers retired by their respective organizations. Photo by Bruce Bennett/ Getty Images

19 Jonathan Toews

Three Stanley Cups. That should do it.

88 Patrick Kane

(See above). Both Kane and Toews will go down as some of the greatest Blackhawk players in franchise history when all is said and done with their careers (if not already).

Honorable Mentions

2 Duncan Keith

While Keith shouldn’t have a hard time getting his number retired (again, 3 Cups) it might take some convincing around the room of Chicago’s front office meeting someday. I’d have to imagine the only reason why they wouldn’t, at least right away, would be because they’d want to stretch out as much as they can from the legendary teams that they put together in 2010, 2013, and 2015.

7 Brent Seabrook

While still a major part of Chicago’s blue line and arguably one of their greats, Seabrook, like Keith might need some convincing on his behalf when it comes time to decide on retiring his number or not in the Blackhawks front office.